Chess game pieces

ABSTRACT

A game set is provided for playing chess or variations thereof in which each game piece has a longitudinal dimension and opposite ends defining a planar base to enable each piece to stand on either of its ends. The pieces in the game are separable into two identical groups, one for each player. Each piece has a symbolic representation at each end thereof corresponding to the strength or rank of the piece so that the rank of the piece is apparent at the upper exposed end. The pieces in one player&#39;&#39;s group are apparent from those in the other group by providing visually distinguishable means, such as different color markings, at the opposite ends of each piece, one type of marking being associated with one player&#39;&#39;s group and the other being associated with the other player&#39;&#39;s group.

[ Sept. 18, 1973 1 CHESS GAME PIECES [76] Inventor: Alexander Randolph, Naka Ochiai, l-chome 10-9, Shinaku-ku, Tokyo, Japan 22 Filed: Dec. 29, 1970' 211 Appl.No.: 102,424

[52] US. Cl 273/137 R, 273/131 AB [51] Int. Cl. A631 3/02 [58] Field of Search 273/137, 131, 132; D34/5 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 610,053 8/1898 Hodge 273/131 KP 1,204,006 11/1916 Goldmerstein 273/131 KC 2,722,424 11/1955 Hum 273/137 R X 3,608,904 9/1971 Margetson 273/137 R D142,673 10/1945 Schirokauer... 273/137 R UX D219,037 10/1970 Laufer 273/137 AB UX D207,323 4/1967 Hanna et al.... 273/137 R UX 711,959 10/1902 Graham 273/131 B 1,555,980 10/1925 Johnson 273/132 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,034,030 6/1966 Great Britain 273/137 R Great Britain 273/137 F Great Britain 273/137 R Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney-Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks [57] ABSTRACT A game set is provided for playing chess or-variations thereof in which each game piece hasalongitudinal dimension and opposite ends defining a planar base to enable each piece to stand on either of its ends. The pieces in the game are separable into two identical groups, one for each player. Each piece has a symbolic representation at each end thereof corresponding to the strength or rank of the piece so that the rank of the piece is apparent at the upper exposed end. The pieces in one player's group are apparent from those in the other group by providing visually distinguishable means, such as different color markings, at the opposite ends of each piece, one type of marking being associated with one player's group and the other being associated with the other players group.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEB 3.759.523

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INVENTOR ALEXANDER RANDOLPH ATTORNEY WOLE GREENFIELDG SACKS CHESS GAME PIECES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to chess sets and, moreparticuenable the piece to be rested on either end. with the larly, to an improved chess set in which eachof the '5 other end being exposed upwardly. For example. the ends may be formedsimply in a flat plane 14 as shown.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention each end of each game piece is provided with a symbolic representation corresponding to its rank or power. The appropriate symbol 16 may be impressed in the material or may be otherwise imprinted thereon by any of a number of well known techniques. The

ple, in which'a captured piece becomes part of the capsymbol on each end of a given piece is identical so tors group.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In brief, the pieces in the game set have a longitudinal dimension with planar-defined surfaces at the ends thereof to enable the pieces to stand on either end. The pieces are of varying height according to their rank or power with those pieces having higher rank being longer than those of lower rank. Each piece has, at its ends, a symbolic representation corresponding to its rank or power. Each piece also has means for distinguishing one end from the other, as by color or the like. The player group to which a given piece belongs is indicated by which end of the piece is exposed upwardly.

It is among the primary objects of the invention to provide an improved chess set which is adapted for use in traditional chess games as well as variations thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chess set in which each players group is identical to the other players group yet which provides means for readily identifying to which group any particular piece belongs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chess set in which each piece may be used by either of the players with each piece including means enabling determination of which player's group the piece belongs to at any given time.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantages will be understood more fully from the following detailed de scription thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of two representative game pieces;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of one end of an illustrative game piece;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the other end of the game piece shown in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a pair of representative game pieces, such as a queen l0 and a pawn 12 of the game set. Each game piece in a complete group of 16 game pieces associated with one of the players is of identical configuration. The other group which comprises the remaining halfof the set is identical to the first group. Each group of 16 pieces includes pieces corresponding to those in a traditional chess sethaving powers identical thereto. Pieces having greater or higher rank preferably are greater in length as suggested in FIG. 1. Thus, the king, queen, rooks, bishops, knights and pawns are of progressively decreasing height.

that it may be seen irrespective of which end of the piece is exposed.

In order to distinguish the game pieces of one players group from those of the other, means are provided at each end of each piece for such identification. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the identification means is by color in which one end of each piece is provided with a differ- The ends of each game piece are formed to define a planar region which is substantially normal to the longitudinal dimension of the piece to provide a base and ent color, one of the coors being representative of one player's group and the other color being representative of the other players group. For example, the color distinctions in each piece may be embodied directly in the symbolic representation of the rank of the piece as by paint, inlaid material or other appropriate labeling.

In the embodiment of the invention shown the game pieces include a pair of end members 18 and a connecting stem 20. The end] members on all of the pieces preferably are of the same diameter. This facilitates fabrication and also permits the set of game pieces to be packaged easily, as by placing them end to end in a receptive trough or tube. Additionally, the game pieces are symmetrical about their longitudinal mid-point so that, except for their color distinctions or other group identification means, they present the same general appearance irrespective of which end serves as the base.

When setting up the pieces on :a conventional chess board, each player positions the game pieces in his group so that their upper exposed ends all are of the same color and of the opposite color from those of his opponent. The game may be played according to traditional chess rules. Alternatively, variations of the traditional chess game may be played such as, for example, in which a captured piece may be inverted for use by the captor. Afterthe piece has been inverted it is readily identifiable as the captors piece. The piece may be inverted immediately upon capture or, alternatively, may be removed from the board for subsequent reentry by the captor, as one of his own game pieces, according to any of a variety of rules which may be employed. The ultimate objective in any of the games ordinarily is to capture the opponents king or game piece of highest rank.

When the game is played according to the traditional objective of capturing the opponent's king and thus winning the game, the king or objective game piece of highest rank need not have the capability of the other pieces of the set to be readily identifiable with either group, depending on the end on which the piece rests. Thus, the game piece of highest rank,whose capture is the object of the game, may be readily identifiable with only one players group.

Thus, I have described an improved chess set which may be employed to play chess according to traditional ormodified rules. It should be understood, however, that the foregoing description of the invention is intended merely to be illustrative thereof and that other embodiments and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its spirit or scope as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I desire to claim and secure by letters patent is:

1. A chess piece comprising: an elongate member having opposite ends defining the longitudinal dimension of said member, each of said ends formed to define a base lying in a planar region substantially normal to the longitudinal dimension of said chess piece and adapted to provide a stable support for said chess piece on a flat gameboard surface, thus exposing the opposite end of said member; said member being circular in cross-section alongits length and having different cross-sectional diameters at different locations along said longitudinal dimension but being longitudinally symmetrical about the'mid-point of said longitudinal dimension;

means forming an identical symbolic representation of the rank of said chess piece on each end of said chess piece; and

means on the ends of said chess piece to enable one end to be visually distinguishable from the other end of said piece.

2. A chess piece as defined in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprises said symbolic representations being of different colors.

3. A set of chess pieces, said set including two objective pieces and the remaining pieces comprising nonobjective pieces and further comprising:

said non-objective pieces defining a plurality of said chess pieces, said plurality of said chess pieces being separable into two identical groups; each chess piece in each group being of elongate configuration and having opposite ends defining the longitudinal dimension of said chess piece, each of said ends being formed to define a base lying in a planar region substantially normal to the longitudinal dimension of said chess piece and adapted to provide a stable support for said'chess piece on a flat gameboard surface thus exposing the opposite end of said chess piece;

each of said chess pieces being circular in crosssection along its length and having different crosssectional diameters at different locations along said longitudinal dimension but being longitudinally symmetrical about the mid-point of said longitudinal dimension;

means forming an identical symbolic representation of the rank of said chess piece on each end of at least each of said non-objective chess pieces; and means on the ends of each of said non-objective chess pieces to enable said ends to be visually distinguishable from each other, said visually distinguishable means being the same on each of said non-objective pieces, whereby each of the sets of non-objective chess pieces is identical to the other. 4. A set of chess pieces defined in claim 3 wherein said last mentioned means comprises one end of each of said pieces being provided with one color and the other end of each of said pieces being provided with an other color.

5. A set of chess pieces as defined in claim 3 comprising 32 pieces in which two of said pieces comprise objective pieces each having a first longitudinal dimension and wherein the remaining pieces comprise:

two pieces being of a second longitudinal dimension smaller than said first longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other;

four pieces being of a third longitudinal dimension smaller than said second longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other;

four pieces being of a fourth longitudinal dimension smaller than said third longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other;

four pieces being of a fifth longitudinal dimension smaller than said fourth longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other; and

16 pieces being of a sixth longitudinal dimension smaller than said fifth longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other. 6. A set of chess pieces as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said pieces are of identical cross sectional configuration at least at the ends thereof, said ends being no smaller in cross section than the intermediate portions thereof.

7. A set of chess pieces as defined in claim 3 wherein each objective piece comprises:

an elongate member having opposite ends defining the longitudinal dimension of said member, each of said ends formed to define a base lying in a planar region substantially normal to the longitudinal dimension of said chess piece and adapted to provide a stable support for said chess piece on a flat game board surface, thus exposing the opposite end;

said member being circular in cross-section along its length and having different cross-sectional diameters at different locations along said longitudinal dimension but being longitudinally symmetrical about the midpoint of said longitudinal dimension;

means forming an identical symbolic representation of the rank of said objective chess piece on each end of said member; and

means on the ends of said member to enable the ends thereof to be visually distinguishable from each other.

t i i t 

1. A chess piece comprising: an elongate member having opposite ends defining the longitudinal dimension of said member, each of said ends formed to define a base lying in a planar region substantially normal to the longitudinal dimension of said chess piece and adapted to provide a stable support for said chess piece on a flat gameboard surface, thus exposing the opposite end of said member; said member being circular in cross-section along its length and having different cross-sectional diameters at different locations along said longitudinal dimension but being longitudinally symmetrical about the mid-point of said longitudinal dimension; means forming an identical symbolic representation of the rank of said chess piece on each end of said chess piece; and means on the ends of said chess piece to enable one end to be visually distinguishable from the other end of said piece.
 2. A chess piece as defined in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprises said symbolic representations being of different colors.
 3. A set of chess pieces, said set including two objective pieces and the remaining pieces comprising non-objective pieces and further comprising: said non-objective pieces defining a plurality of said chess pieces, said plurality of said chess pieces being separable into two identical groups; each chess piece in each group being of elongate configuration and having opposite ends defining the longitudinal dimension of said chess piece, each of said ends being formed to define a base lying in a planar region substantially normal to the longitudinal dimension of said chess piece and adapted to provide a stable support for said chess piece on a flat gameboard surface thus exposing the opposite end of said chess piece; each of said chess pieces being circular in cross-section along its length and having different cross-sectional diameters at different locations along said longitudinal dimension but being longitudinally symmetrical about the mid-point of said longitudinal dimension; means forming an identical symbolic representation of the rank of said chess piece on each end of at least each of said non-objective chess pieces; and means on the ends of each of said non-objective chess pieces to enable said ends to be visually distinguishable from each other, said visually distinguishable means being the same on each of said non-objective pieces, whereby each of the sets of non-objective chess pieces is identical to the other.
 4. A set of chess pieces defined in claim 3 wherein said last mentioned means comprises one end of each of said pieces being provided with one color and the other end of each of said pieces being provided with another color.
 5. A set of chess pieces as defined in claim 3 comprising 32 pieces in which two of said pieces comprise objective pieces each having a first longitudinal dimension and wherein the remaining pieces comprise: two pieces being of a second longitudinal dimension smaller than said first longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other; four pieces being of a third longitudinal dimension smaller than said second longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other; four pieces being of a fourth longitudinal dimension smaller than said third longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other; four pieces being of a fifth longitudinal dimension smaller than said fourth longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other; and 16 pieces being of a sixth longitudinal dimension smaller than said fifth longitudinal dimension and being identical to each other.
 6. A set of chess pieces as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said pieces are of identical cRoss sectional configuration at least at the ends thereof, said ends being no smaller in cross section than the intermediate portions thereof.
 7. A set of chess pieces as defined in claim 3 wherein each objective piece comprises: an elongate member having opposite ends defining the longitudinal dimension of said member, each of said ends formed to define a base lying in a planar region substantially normal to the longitudinal dimension of said chess piece and adapted to provide a stable support for said chess piece on a flat game board surface, thus exposing the opposite end; said member being circular in cross-section along its length and having different cross-sectional diameters at different locations along said longitudinal dimension but being longitudinally symmetrical about the mid-point of said longitudinal dimension; means forming an identical symbolic representation of the rank of said objective chess piece on each end of said member; and means on the ends of said member to enable the ends thereof to be visually distinguishable from each other. 